Mearns Castle High School P 7 Parents Evening

Mearns Castle High School P 7 Parents’ Evening 8 June 2017

Presentation Structure • Welcome • Introductions • About Mearns Castle • Support for Pupils • Pupils’ Experience’ • Parental Support • Uniform Ø Pupil Support Pastoral Team

Induction Days • • • New classes New teachers New friendships Finding their way around the school Building confidence Meeting with House Groups Year group Assembly Transitions Film Transitions Magazine

Our Vision The Mearns Castle High School community will work together to sustain a safe, inclusive and high quality learning environment that enables us to develop fully our capacities as successful learners, confident individuals, responsible citizens and effective contributors to society

Our Values • • • Respect Inclusion Integrity Responsibility Ambition Achievement

About Us We are a school that sets high standards and holds high expectations in: – Behaviour • In class, around the school, in local community – Work Ethic • Try your best, work hard – Uniform • Be proud to be a Mearns Castle pupil – The School Community • Give some thing back to the school

Secondary Stages • Broad General Education S 1‐ 3 • Senior Phase – S 4‐ 6 • S 1/S 2 (most choose 8 subjects at end of S 2) • S 3/S 4 (most choose 5 subjects at end of S 4) • S 5 • S 6

Pupil Support What support do we offer? – DHT / Year Group Head – Pupil Support – Pastoral – Pupil Support – Learning – Pupil Support – Personal Development – Class Teachers – S 6 Academic Family – S 6 Peer Buddies

Previous Model of Support Previous 6 DHTs – one for each Year Group S 1‐S 6 6 PTPS – one for each House DHT follows Year Group S 1 to S 6 PTPS remains constant S 1 – S 6

Current Model of Support Current 5 DHTs but still 6 PTPS remains constant S 1 – S 6 DHT follows Year Group S 2‐S 6 5 DHTs + HT work with 6 PTPS to support caseload of S 1 pupils

Mearns Castle Houses Surnames Head of House A, C, J, Mac Mr Cairney Caledonia B, D, E, F Mrs Crilley Balmoral G, H, I, K Mr Gooch Gleneagles M, N, O, R Mr Donnelly Ramsay Mc, S Miss Oram Sutherland L, P, Q, T‐ Z Miss Cartledge Wallace

Pupil Support ‐ Learning • Ms Fiona Mc. Lachlan – Principal Teacher

Pupil Support ‐ Personal Development • Ms Wendy Crosby – Principal Teacher

S 1 Classes Information from Primary Schools Classes – gender / schools / ability Different groupings for different subjects Alpha class, 1 A etc – French, Social Subjects Point class, 1. 1 etc – Practical Subjects English and Maths classes – Alpha classes for Induction Days only ‐ PT Maths and English • PSE, RMPS, Citizenship – House groups • PE – 4 classes together (boys and girls) • • •

1 A 2 Approx 30 pupils ü Modern Languages ü Social Subjects HOUSE GROUPS: ü PSE ü Citizenship ü RMPS Approx 20 pupils ü Science ü Tech / FHT ü Art / Music ü IT / Drama

S 1 Classes • With someone else from primary school (primary class where possible) • Not with ‘best friend’ • Opportunities to make new friends • It can take time to settle • Give it time – but get in touch if there any major issues • Football Camp 7/8 & Volleyball Camp 9/10/11 Aug

Timetable • • • 33 period week Mon, Tues, Thurs 8: 45 am ‐ 3: 35 pm Wed, Fri 8: 45 am ‐ 2: 45 pm 50 Minute periods Registration in all classes

Subjects in S 1 English Maths French Art, Technical, IT Drama, Music, FHT Social Subjects (Mod Studies, Geography, History) Science (Biology, Chemistry, Physics) RE (1 period) PE (3 periods) Citizenship (1 period weekly–sometimes assembly) Personal & Social Education (PSE) (1 period)

Lunchtime • 12: 25 pm – 1: 05 pm • S 1/2 not allowed off campus – Except Basement Club (Wednesdays) • Can bring a packed lunch • Can buy lunch in Dining Hall/Open Area • PIN for Cashless Catering – from August

Getting To School • By Bus – ERC – Organised by ERC – Waterfoot/Eaglesham • Buses supervised in Car Park • By Car – Drop off in laybys – not in school grounds please • Cycling? Walking?

UPBEAT ‘on colour’ Incentive Scheme U P B E A T = = = What does UPBEAT stand for? Uniform Prepared for class - homework Behaviour Effort Attitude Time keeping

Wider Learning • Clubs – Wide variety on offer for S 1, including • Running, Table Tennis, Hockey, Netball, Dance, Football, Gymnastics, Cricket, Fitness Training, Girls Football, Debating, Rugby, Volleyball, Badminton, Dodgeball • Junior Concert Band, Chamber Group, Jazz Band, String Ensemble, Guitar Ensemble, Woodwind Ensemble, Junior Choir, School Show • Debating, Knit and Knatter, Amnesty International, Philosophy, Jewellery and Textiles, Chinese Club, Warhammer, Chess, Code‐breaking Club

Colours For many years we have taken great pride in recognising pupil achievements through the school’s Colours programme. The fields we recognise are: • Sport • Expressive Arts • Citizenship • Enterprise Application forms on the website

How we keep in touch • Newsletters – one per term • Letters – as appropriate • S 1 Reports – 1 Tracking Report (November) – 1 Full Report (May) • Parent Meetings – Curriculum Evening (September) – Parents’ Meeting (November) • Texting • Email • Phone Calls • Website / twitter (check these regularly)

Log Book Pupils should take a record of ‐ homework ‐ timetable ‐ test results Parent Partnership: - Please sign the Log Book regularly and use the Logbook to communicate with teachers

Support from Parents • • Homework log books Attendance/late coming Uniform Extra curricular activities

Our School Uniform The Way Forward 79% of Pupils, Parents and Staff say that: ‘The standard of our School Uniform could be improved’ May 2012 • We are confident we now have now improved our school uniform 98. 4% of parents agreed that “our school currently has a high standard of uniform” May 2014 • • Monitoring – checks before school and Period 1 Uniform store – including recycled blazers Parents to be sent a text UPBEAT Demerits Off colour losing privileges eg. Christmas Dances, Charities Week, School Trips

Our School Uniform ‘…Under no circumstances should young people be denied access to education or full curriculum or assessment opportunities because they do not comply with the school’s dress code…’ ERC Standard Circular 6: Dressing for Excellence • We are looking forward to working in partnership with you to maintain our high standard of school uniform from August 2017.

Our School Uniform Retailers • Mans World, Giffnock uniform offer: Sunday 4 th ‐ Sunday 11 th June 2017 Up to 25% discount on all items except blazers and skirts. • Academy Uniforms, East Kilbride: www. academyuniformsltd. com • Acceptable to purchase the correct items of uniform from any supplier • We will offer to support parents’ who are having difficulty providing items of school uniform

Any questions?

Principal Teachers of Pastoral Support Mr Cairney Caledonia (A, C, J, Mac) Main Theatre Mrs Crilley Balmoral (B, D, E, F) Conference Room Mr Donnelly Ramsay (M, N, O, R) Main Theatre Miss Oram Sutherland (S, Mc) Dining Hall Mr Gooch Gleneagles (G, H, I, K) Contemplation Room Miss Cartledge Wallace (L, P, Q, T-Z) Open Area